Lockdown in India Leads to Lock Out at Ports

· Closing Ports will Lead to Disaster for India People

A Correspondent writes:

24 March 2020 - At Nhava Sheva; the port has confirmed that they are working but hardly any movement is taking place over there.

Custom has initially agreed to work in shifts; according to the latest update they are only working during day time and the news is around 5% staff is available.

The Nhava Sheva traffic police is not allowing any heavy traffic movement on road and all vehicles are being asked to park at road side itself.

This has affected both the all the import and export movement from port to CFS and vice-versa. This has also affected the empty repositioning movement of empties which are jamming space.

Labour too is getting restive: All the CFS’s are receiving letters from local gram panchayats and labor unions to stop work due to the fear of COVID-19 and follow the lock down proposed by the state government.

There is a constant talk going on between JNPT, Customs, Police and CFSAI how to address this force majeure situation. In the absence of strict guidelines from the Central Government, there is little movement forward and the situation is not getting better.